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Physics Condensed Matter Superconductivity

cond-mat.supr-con Watch Superconductivity

Monday 24 August

Superconductivity

Three-dimensional Ising superconductors designed via inversion-symmetry breaking in intercalated NbSe$_2$ and NbTe$_2$

Wenqian Tu, Run Lv, Xiaoying Li et al. (+4 more)

Ising superconductors exhibit in-plane upper critical fields far exceeding the Pauli paramagnetic limit, a hallmark first established in two-dimensional (2D) monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). This field resilience requires the coexistence of strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and broken inversion symmetry, yet three-dimensional (3D) bulk realizations remain scarce because equilibrium stacking typically restores inversion symmetry. Here we demonstrate that intercalation provides a practical route to break this symmetry, systematically designing 16 NbSe$_2$- and NbTe$_2$-based compounds from four intercalants (In, Sn, Pb, Bi) across two polytypes: non-centrosymmetric $P\bar{6}m2$ and centrosymmetric $P6_3/mmc$. Four compounds in the $P\bar{6}m2$ phase, InNbSe$_2$, SnNbSe$_2$, PbNbSe$_2$, and PbNbTe$_2$, emerge as promising 3D Ising superconductors. They exhibit SOC splittings of 80-100 meV near the Fermi level, dominant out-of-plane spin polarization, and anisotropic superconductivity with $T_c=2.6$-$5.4$ K. Notably, spin-texture analysis reveals that the efficiency of Ising protection is governed not by the magnitude of SOC splitting alone but by the out-of-plane spin purity on the Fermi surface. Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) calculations predict in-plane upper critical fields reaching 4-7 times the Pauli limit. These findings establish intercalation as a promising symmetry-engineering strategy for realizing 3D Ising superconductors in TMDs.
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All authors Wenqian Tu, Run Lv, Xiaoying Li, Li'e Liu, Dingfu Shao, Yuping Sun, Wenjian Lu

Superconductivity

Revised symmetry rule and intrinsically time-reversal symmetry breaking pairing in multi-orbital superconductors

Chang-Youn Moon

We investigate the basic symmetry rule for the particle permutation in superconducting (SC) pairing states by examining the numerical solution of the linearized Eliashberg equation for Sr$_2$RuO$_4$. We find that the general multi-band, frequency-dependent SC gap function does not simply transform to itself up to the minus sign with either orbital ($\hat{O}$) or frequency ($\hat{T}$) exchange between two pairing electrons, contradicting the common assumption which has been used without verification. It originates from the fact that paring interactions are not invariant under the $\hat{O}$ or $\hat{T}$ operation, and is demonstrated to be essential to correctly interpret and understand multi-band SC states. One of unique properties implied by our newly found symmetry rule is the possibility of the complex eigenvalue in the linearized gap equation where the corresponding gap functions $\Delta$ always have real and imaginary components both non-zero in real frequencies, inherently breaking the time-reversal symmetry. Our numerical results suggest the possibility of this unique pairing in a real material, Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, for which the Hundness of the material is found to play a key role. The revised symmetry rule not only leads us to more comprehensive understanding of the known SC states, but also opens new possibilities into exotic and unique states.
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Superconductivity

Weak coupling theory of nickel-based 327 superconductors

Miao Jianjian and Chen Weiqiang

This review provides a comprehensive survey of weak-coupling theoretical approaches applied to understand the emergent superconductivity in the pressurized nickelate bilayer system $La_{3}Ni_{2}O_{7}$. Following the landmark discovery of its high-Tc superconductivity under pressure, this material has rapidly become a new paradigmatic platform in the field of unconventional superconductivity, joining cuprates and iron-based systems. We focus on three pivotal theoretical frameworks: the random phase approximation (RPA), the fluctuation-exchange approximation (FLEX), and the functional renormalization group (FRG). These methods are deployed to analyze the effective pairing interactions and emergent instabilities arising from the low-energy electronic structure, which is commonly modeled by a bilayer two-orbital Hubbard Hamiltonian incorporating the Ni $d_{x^2-y^2}$ and $d_{3z^2-r^2}$ orbitals.
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Sunday 23 August

Superconductivity

Structural disorder and critical voltage scaling in Al/AlOx/Al Josephson junction arrays

Amanuel M. Berhane, Susan Coppersmith, Emma Mitchell et al. (+1 more)

The insulating state of one-dimensional Josephson junction (JJ) arrays is governed by collective charge dynamics and disorder-induced pinning, resulting in a finite critical voltage under dc bias. Here, we investigate the influence of fabrication-induced structural defects on the critical-voltage scaling of small-capacitance Aluminium-Aluminium oxide-Aluminium (Al/AlOx/Al) JJ arrays. Controlled variation of the aluminium evaporation rate produces pronounced changes in grain morphology and room-temperature junction resistance. Despite these substantial structural modifications, the normalised critical-voltage scaling is preserved, demonstrating that the collective transport behaviour is remarkably robust against this class of fabrication-induced defects. In contrast, the deliberate introduction of nanoscale gaps into the junctions introduces additional junction-to-junction structural variations that systematically modify the normalised scaling behaviour. Likewise, in situ postfabrication oxidation alters the scaling coefficient while preserving the functional form of the scaling law, indicating that the collective transport is sensitive to specific classes of structural modifications. These results establish which fabrication-induced structural defects influence the collective transport in insulating Al/AlOx/Al Josephson junction arrays, providing new insight into the role of fabrication-induced structural disorder and practical guidance for the design of future Quantum Phase Slip (QPS) devices.
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All authors Amanuel M. Berhane, Susan Coppersmith, Emma Mitchell, Timothy Duty

Saturday 22 August

Superconductivity

Optical manifestations of loop currents in Haldane's model and in time-reversal-breaking superconductors

Azzam S. Alzahrani and Victor M. Yakovenko

We present a theoretical study of optical manifestations of loop currents in Haldane's model and in time-reversal-breaking superconductors. For Haldane's model, we calculate the expectation value of loop currents in terms of model parameters and relate it with the integrated optical spectral weight for the frequency-dependent ac Hall conductivity. Thus, experimental measurements of the latter can provide information about the presence and magnitude of steady loop currents in the system. Then we elaborate on loop currents in a chiral superconductor on the honeycomb lattice, studied earlier by Brydon et al. (2019). We demonstrate that a sharp optical absorption peak in the ac Hall conductivity originates from excitations between the lower and upper Dirac bands, activated by the time-reversal-breaking superconductivity. The frequency of the peak is twice the energy difference between the Fermi level and the Dirac point. The optical spectral weight of the peak is directly related to the magnitude of loop currents induced in the unit cells by the chiral superconducting pairing, in similarity to Haldane's model.
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2608.22083 · 22 Aug · V.1: 24 pages, 9 figures. An invited paper submitted to a special issue on Loop Currents to be published by World Scientific. V.2: 28 pages, 9 figures. Appendix C and many references added. A popular summary is available at https://gist.science/paper/2608.22083. V.3: 29 pages, 9 figures. Some equations are corrected, and titles of papers are now shown in references

Abstract PDF $SUPC ×3$CELL ×1$LATT ×1

Superconductivity · Cross-listed from cond-mat.quant-gas

Odd-frequency pair correlations in the trapped fermionic Tonks-Girardeau gas

M. Wong, K. Thompson, M. Governale et al. (+2 more)

The fermionic Tonks-Girardeau gas is an exactly solvable model realizing a conventional macroscopic condensate of p-wave Cooper pairs. Here we demonstrate that, when confined by a trapping potential, it also hosts unconventional odd-frequency pairing, i.e., pair correlations with s-wave symmetry that are only present with a finite time delay t between fermions forming a pair. Quantitative results for fixed particle number are obtained using a generalization of Yang's theory of off-diagonal long-range order to define a t-dependent order parameter that is antisymmetric under combined t inversion and exchange of fermion-pair indices. Odd-frequency pairing in the fermionic Tonks-Girardeau gas is found to be a mesoscopic effect, localized at the system's boundary and therefore nonextensive thermodynamically. Our results show that this elusive hidden order is accessible in systems having fixed particle number, suggesting new avenues towards its experimental realization and further detailed study.
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All authors M. Wong, K. Thompson, M. Governale, J. Brand, U. Zuelicke

Friday 21 August

Superconductivity

Electrostatic lens of a charged vortex

Iogann Tolbatov and Luca Salasnich

We study the local electrostatic response of a charged superfluid in the presence of a cylindrically symmetric vortex, allowing both the particle density and the thermodynamic compressibility to vary with the radial coordinate. Starting from the electrostatic charge response obtained from the phase-only Popov action, we introduce a local-density extension and derive the regular near-axis expansion of the scalar potential. The constant, quadratic, and quartic coefficients are obtained explicitly in terms of the local screening response and of the leading nonuniform contribution to the vortex density profile. For a three-dimensional unitary Fermi equation of state, the density dependence of the compressibility generates a definite thermodynamic contribution to the quartic coefficient. The resulting decomposition separates this equation-of-state contribution from the ordinary constant-screening and charge-source terms that occur at the same order. This provides a compact analytical connection between vortex-core thermodynamics and the local electrostatic profile of a charged superfluid.
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Superconductivity

Superconducting ground state study of Cr-based equiatomic high-entropy alloy through $\mu\text{SR}$

Sonika Jangid, Rhea Stewart, Adrian D. Hillier et al. (+1 more)

High-entropy alloy superconductors, characterized by extreme chemical disorder and complex electronic environments, have attracted significant attention as model systems for exploring superconductivity in disordered materials. Here, we investigate a Cr-based equiatomic HEA, Cr-V-Ti-Nb-Ta, which contains a magnetic 3d element, providing an opportunity to examine the influence of magnetic elements on superconductivity in highly disordered systems. Despite expected magnetic pair-breaking, this alloy exhibits bulk type-II superconductivity with a transition temperature of $T_c = 2.33(3)$ K and a high upper critical field. Transverse-field $\mu$SR measurements reveal an s-wave superconducting gap close to the BCS value, while zero-field $\mu$SR suggests preserved time-reversal symmetry. These results establish Cr-V-Ti-Nb-Ta as a promising platform for exploring the interplay between disorder, magnetism and superconductivity in high entropy alloys.
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All authors Sonika Jangid, Rhea Stewart, Adrian D. Hillier, R. P. Singh

Superconductivity · Cross-listed from cond-mat.quant-gas

Quantum Fisher information in a quenched $p + ip$ superfluid

Stelio Varrone and Yunxiang Liao

The quantum Fisher information (QFI) is widely used to characterize quantum phases and transitions, but its diagnostic power sometimes relies on selecting special generators based on prior knowledge of the underlying physics. We ask whether this requirement can be relaxed in nonequilibrium systems by studying the QFI of the long-time asymptotic state of a two-dimensional p+ip superfluid following an instantaneous quench of the coupling strength, using the particle number within a large subextensive subsystem as the generator. In equilibrium, the ground-state QFI is continuous across the topological transition between the weak-pairing BCS and the strong-pairing BEC phases, showing no direct signature of the transition. After the quench, however, the QFI associated with the same generator distinguishes the three dynamical phases and can encode the topology of the pre-quench state. In phase I, with a vanishing order parameter, the QFI Fourier spectrum consists of a single zero-frequency spike determined by the nonequilibrium distribution function. In phase II, with a constant nonzero order parameter, the QFI spectrum contains a zero-frequency spike and two continua separated by a gap set by the minimum asymptotic quasiparticle energy. The continuum edge behavior reveals whether this minimum occurs at zero or finite momentum. In the former case, the spectral weight vanishes at the edge, with the sign just inside the continuum encoding the pre-quench topology for large subsystem. In phase III, with a time-periodic order parameter, the QFI spectrum exhibits discrete peaks at integer multiples of the oscillation frequency, together with continua associated with the Floquet quasienergy spectrum. Our results show that driving the system out of equilibrium can enhance the diagnostic power of the QFI for a standard physical observable, revealing information inaccessible in equilibrium.
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Superconductivity · Cross-listed from cond-mat.quant-gas

Pair size versus coherence length and quantum geometry in the spin-orbit coupled BCS-BEC crossover

R. N. Kalkan and M. Iskin

We investigate the interplay between pairing correlations and quantum geometry in the spin-orbit-coupled BCS-BEC crossover. Working in the helicity basis, we derive the exact pair-size tensor for the two-body bound states and show that it separates into intraband and quantum-geometric interband contributions, with the latter determined by the quantum metric. We extend this decomposition to two distinct many-body length scales at zero temperature: the Cooper-pair size, obtained from mean-field BCS theory, and the coherence length, obtained from the Gaussian fluctuation theory. Although these quantities almost coincide in the BCS regime, they describe distinct physical properties away from it, with the pair size characterizing the internal extent of a pair and the coherence length characterizing the long-wavelength response of the order parameter. We evaluate both quantities for three-dimensional Rashba, three-dimensional Weyl, and two-dimensional Rashba spin-orbit coupling models. We find that the pair size decreases monotonically with increasing spin-orbit coupling as the pair localizes, whereas the coherence length develops a pronounced minimum in the crossover regime before growing again in the BEC regime as the composite bosons become weakly interacting. This minimum is tied to the collapse of the noninteracting Fermi surface onto the ring or sphere of helicity-band minima. The quantum-geometric contributions reach up to nearly one third of the pair size and about 40% of the coherence length, tracking these same changes in the underlying helicity Fermi-surface topology.
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Superconductivity

Time-Resolved Thermal Susceptibility Mapping via Low-Temperature Scanning Laser Microscopy

Nicolas Lejeune, Simon Van der Heyde and Alejandro V. Silhanek

We present a multiharmonic lock-in detection approach that utilizes the inverse Fast Fourier Transform to reconstruct the time evolution of thermal susceptibility with high spatial resolution. The method is implemented on a custom-built, modular scanning laser microscope designed for operation in low working-distance optical cryostats and thoroughly calibrated for spatial accuracy. A demonstrative case study using a superconducting resonator highlights the capability of this technique to generate thermal images on time scales significantly shorter than the intrinsic scanning speed, thus enabling dynamic thermal characterization with high spatial fidelity. The proposed technique of low-temperature time-resolved scanning laser microscopy offers unique opportunities to explore superconducting devices, 2D materials, hybrid planar structures, and other low-dimensional systems.
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Thursday 20 August

Superconductivity

A non-local power-law baseline for transient flux penetration in YBCO films: parameter degeneracy and constitutive limitations

O. A. Hernández-Flores, C. Romero-Salazar and F. Pérez-Rodríguez

We assess whether a non-local thin-film model with a bounded, constant-exponent power law can reproduce high-speed magneto-optical measurements of transient flux penetration in a $3\times3$~mm$^2$ YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ film. The model is solved forward in physical units and used as a controlled constitutive baseline. The critical sheet current is constrained by the final penetration geometry, while the criterion field and creep exponent are constrained by the turnover and relaxation times. The calibration reveals an intrinsic degeneracy: the turnover time depends primarily on the product of the criterion field and saturation parameter, equivalently on the saturated sheet resistivity, so these quantities cannot be identified independently. After parameterizing this degeneracy, the model captures a guarded-current turnover near 22~ms, a relaxation constant of 41.2~ms compared with the measured 37.5 and 43.7~ms, and a late maximum approximately 0.92~mm from the film edge. The amplitude remains discrepant: the calculated transient maximum is $1.90J_{c0}$ and the peak-to-225-ms ratio is 2.13, compared with the reported 1.20. This excess persists under changes in the creep exponent, the degenerate parameter direction, the Kim field dependence, and mesh resolution. Matching the measured ratio through the criterion field would require a value about three orders of magnitude below the conventional scale, while spatial exclusion sufficient to match it would remove the edge peak itself. We also decompose the electric field into irrotational and solenoidal parts and quantify the boundary layer where spectral and finite-difference forms of Faraday's law disagree. The results establish a reproducible non-local power-law baseline and identify limitations of the bounded, constant-exponent constitutive family rather than of non-local thin-film electrodynamics.
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Superconductivity

Perspectives on Magnetic/Superconductor Hybrid Systems: Long-range Electromagnetic Phenomena Induced by Proximity Effect and Interfacial Spin-orbit Coupling

S. V. Mironov, A. S. Mel'nikov and A. I. Buzdin

In this Perspective we review recent achievements in physics and applications of hybrid superconductor-ferromagnet structures. In particular, we focus on the manifestations of the electromagnetic phenomena in these systems originating from the response of the induced superconducting correlations modified by the exchange field and additional effects coming from the interface Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. The review includes the long-range electromagnetic proximity effect and related modification of magnetic textures, spontaneous currents, properties of vortex matter and its interaction with magnetic ordering, spin-galvanic, photogalvanic and nonreciprocal transport phenomena in exemplary hybrid systems. We also present our views on the future development of this field including both the theoretical challenges and promising opportunities for fundamental experiments.
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Superconductivity

Strange Metal Hall Effect in Underdoped BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$

Augusto Ghiotto, Darian Hall, Yuanqi Lyu et al. (+7 more)

The unusual transport properties of strange metals point to the breakdown of the quasiparticle picture, the understanding of which remains one of the most vexing problems in physics. Here, we report investigations of the electrical Hall effect of the strange metal superconductor BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$. We show that a doping-independent contribution to the Hall effect exists within a fan shaped region above a putative quantum critical point. This `strange metal Hall' contribution echoes many of the properties of the antiferromangetic Hall response, but attains universal properties that distinguish it from the effects of Fermi surface reconstruction. This is consistent with an underlying origin connected to the presence of critical fluctuations, tying it to observations of $T$-linear resistivity and the appearance of unconventional superconductivity.
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All authors Augusto Ghiotto, Darian Hall, Yuanqi Lyu, Kohtaro Yamakawa, Sophie Rodehutskors, Corina Dunn, Philip J. W. Moll, John Singleton, Nikola Maksimovic, James G. Analytis

Superconductivity

Photogalvanic transport of nonreciprocal Cooper-pair fluctuations

Joaquim Telles de Miranda and Alex Levchenko

We develop a theory of the nonlinear optical and transport responses of two-dimensional noncentrosymmetric superconductors in the fluctuation regime above the transition temperature, encompassing the photogalvanic effect, second-harmonic generation, and the photovoltaic Hall effect. In the vicinity of the transition these responses are strongly enhanced by preformed Cooper pairs, whose nonreciprocity enters the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau description in two physically distinct ways: through thermodynamic Lifshitz invariants, which encode an asymmetric pair spectrum, and through kinetic Lifshitz invariants, which encode an asymmetric pair relaxation and are locked to the Langevin noise by the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. We derive generalized master formulas for the paraconductivity (Aslamazov-Larkin) and the quantum-interference (Maki-Thompson) channels of the nonlinear current, valid at arbitrary drive frequency and to linear order in the nonreciprocal perturbations, and reduce them to closed-form dimensionless functions. Circular polarization discriminates sharply between the mechanisms: for reciprocal momentum-structureless noise the Aslamazov-Larkin channel is polarization insensitive and its circular photogalvanic response vanishes for any pair spectrum, whereas the Maki-Thompson channel and the nonreciprocal noise support helicity-odd rectified currents, including a fluctuation photovoltaic Hall current flowing transverse to the strain axis. Applications to Rashba-type ($C_{3v}$) and Ising-type ($D_{3h}$) superconductors demonstrate how the point-group symmetry dictates the allowed vector structures of the nonlinear currents, and how polarization analysis together with the frequency and dephasing dependences can be used to separate the individual channels experimentally.
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Superconductivity

Josephson transport in YBa${}_{2}$Cu${}_{3}$O${}_{7}$ weak links created by focused-helium-ion-beam irradiation: Analysis based on diffusive-SNS-junction model

Tetsuro Misawa, Shigeyuki Ishida, Hiroshi Eisaki et al. (+3 more)

Fabrication of YBCO weak links by focused helium ion beam irradiation is a promising approach for realizing high-temperature superconducting Josephson junction devices. Although empirical dose-characteristic relationships have been established, the underlying transport mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we perform a detailed investigation of the transport properties of YBCO weak links fabricated using a helium ion microscope (HIM) and provide a unified phenomenological description of the observed behavior based on the theory of SNS junctions with a diffusive metallic interlayer. We demonstrate that the temperature dependence of the critical current $I_{\mathrm{c}}$ and the $I_{\mathrm{c}}R_{\mathrm{n}}$ product are well described by diffusive SNS junction models over a wide temperature range. Analyses show that the observed dose dependences of $I_{\mathrm{c}}$ and $I_{\mathrm{c}}R_{\mathrm{n}}$ cannot be explained solely by variations in the effective Thouless energy $E_{\mathrm{T}}$. The discrepancy suggests reduced interface transparency and a reduction in the density of states, leading to a decrease in the effective number of conducting channels contributing to transport. This interpretation is also consistent with the observed exponential increase in $R_{\mathrm{n}}$ with irradiation dose. These results provide a diffusion-based framework for understanding Josephson transport and guiding junction design in helium-ion-irradiated YBCO weak links.
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All authors Tetsuro Misawa, Shigeyuki Ishida, Hiroshi Eisaki, Yukinori Morita, Shinichi Ogawa, Chiharu Urano

Superconductivity · Cross-listed from cond-mat.str-el

Tilted $p$-wave magnet candidate CeNiAsO

Zhuo Wang, Zheng Liu, Shuo Zou et al. (+17 more)

The unexpectedly small ordered moments of CeNiAsO, a candidate for correlated $p$-wave magnet, have posed a serious challenge to the precise determination of its magnetic structure, hindering the understanding of its fundamental properties. By leveraging the high sensitivity to local internal fields, our $^{75}$As nuclear quadrupole / magnetic resonance experiments reveal a commensurate antiferromagnetic order with a small out-of-plane moment $m_z\approx0.05$ $\mu_{\mathrm{B}}$. This tilted magnetic configuration not only rotates the spin polarization axis away from the crystallographic $\mathbf{c}$-axis, but also enhances the non-relativistic spin splitting. We refer to this rare paradigm as a \textit{tilted $p$-wave magnet}.
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All authors Zhuo Wang, Zheng Liu, Shuo Zou, Hua-Xun Li, Jin-Xin Hu, Zhuolun Qiu, Ze Wang, Jiamin Gong, Lucheng Wei, Kangjian Luo, Hai Zeng, Meng Zhang, Chao Dong, Chuanyin Xi, Junfeng Wang, Jiakun Fang, Xiaotao Han, Guang-Han Cao, Liang Li, Yongkang Luo

Superconductivity

Internal cyclotron probe of the vertical polarizability of a surface-state electron on helium

Kirill Shulga

We study a surface-state electron on liquid helium in a tilted magnetic field. The tilt couples the cyclotron ladder to the vertical Rydberg-like subbands of the same electron and thereby realizes a self-coupled Landau-subband Hamiltonian. In the far-detuned regime, the cyclotron line acquires a state-dependent shift described by standard second-order perturbation theory. The resulting expression identifies the cyclotron resonance as a direct probe of the dynamical polarizability of the vertical ladder. The theory is intrinsically multilevel. Exact diagonalization confirms a broad microwave window in which sizable state-dependent cyclotron shifts are expected while the system remains dispersive.
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Superconductivity

Free Energy of Non-uniform Disordered Superconductors

Matthias Eschrig and Anton B. Vorontsov

We extend the Luttinger-Ward free energy functional to disordered superconductors and superfluids with arbitrary scattering mechanisms, including both impurity disorder and the presence of interfaces. The disorder is taken into account within the self-consistent $t$-matrix approximation, thus allowing for arbitrary impurity scattering strengths. It is shown that both the interface and the impurity scattering self-energy appear in the functional only implicitly, through self-consistently determined fermionic propagators. The free energy functional is formulated in terms of a generalized integral in the complex energy plane, which encompasses formulations both in terms of retarded/advanced propagators and in terms of Matsubara Green's functions by appropriately choosing the integration path. It can be applied, e.g., to spatially non-uniform and hybrid systems, triplet and other unconventional condensates, and strongly-correlated Fermi liquids. A particularly useful formulation in terms of the quasiclassical propagators is applied to unconventional non-uniform singlet and triplet superconductors and superfluids in an external Zeeman magnetic field.
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Wednesday 19 August

Superconductivity

Self-calibrating thermal interferometry of vortex parity in a two-dimensional chiral superconductor

Kumar Ghosh

A chiral superconductor carries chiral Majorana modes along its boundary, and the integer that counts them fixes everything that follows, yet that integer has never been measured together with a local parity observable on one object. Proximitized one-dimensional wires read fermion parity rapidly but diagnose bulk topology through a separate protocol. Here we show that a reconfigurable domain wall between regions of opposite Chern number in an intrinsic two-dimensional chiral superconductor performs both functions. Opened to its contacts the wall is a ballistic channel whose quantized thermal conductance counts its Majorana modes; closed, the same wall is a Fabry–Pérot resonator whose spectrum shifts by half a level spacing when the parity of the enclosed vortices changes, giving a two-level heat conductance. We derive the exact transmission, the elastic heat full counting statistics, and a theorem showing that linear-response heat scattering of a fixed quadratic problem resolves vortex parity but not the fusion channel of well-separated cores. An outside vortex hybridized with the wall is an intrinsic false positive; temperature, geometry and a finite-bias mean–noise test separates it. Rhombohedral-graphene parameters place submicron loops in the resolved regime at millikelvin temperatures, where chiral-domain reconfiguration and noise thermometry are both established.
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Superconductivity · Cross-listed from cond-mat.str-el

Interferometric Signatures of Zero Modes in Fractional Quantum Hall-Superconductor Heterostructures

Junyi Cao, Ramanjit Sohal, Angela Kou et al. (+1 more)

Fractional quantum Hall-superconductor (FQH-SC) heterostructures are predicted to host defect-bound parafermion zero modes (PZMs). We propose two related configurations to probe their fusion structure. In a Josephson junction coupled to a single quantum point contact (QPC), quasiparticle tunneling switches the defect fusion channel, producing stochastic transitions between branches of the fractional Josephson spectrum. Embedding the junction in a two-QPC Fabry-Pérot interferometer provides a complementary probe. Weak zero mode tunneling produces fusion-channel-dependent interference while strong tunneling makes the interferometer probe a superposition of fusion channels and strongly suppresses the signal: in the topological limit it vanishes exactly, revealing the defects' non-Abelian nature even when the parent FQH state is Abelian.
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All authors Junyi Cao, Ramanjit Sohal, Angela Kou, Eduardo Fradkin

Superconductivity

Large Field-Free Superconducting Diode Effect with Nonmonotonic Polarity Reversals in NbSe$_2$/CrBr$_3$ Heterostructures

Shengbiao Sun, Lang Xiao, Chenghao Shen et al. (+10 more)

The superconducting diode effect (SDE), characterized by nonreciprocal dissipationless supercurrent, offers a promising route toward ultralow-power superconducting electronics. Yet most realizations require an external magnetic field, and achieving a large, controllable SDE at zero field remains challenging. Here we report a field-free SDE with an efficiency reaching 35.7% in a van der Waals NbSe$_2$/CrBr$_3$ heterostructure, whose polarity is programmable by magnetic-field history. Unlike conventional mechanisms based on finite-momentum pairing, the SDE originates from the leading symmetry-allowed cubic term odd in Cooper-pair momentum, which yields unequal critical currents while leaving the equilibrium condensate at zero momentum. Remarkably, upon sweeping a perpendicular magnetic field, the diode polarity undergoes nonmonotonic and hysteretic reversals that cannot be explained by Meissner screening or conventional ferromagnetic proximity. Combining transport measurements, micromagnetic simulations, and a generalized Ginzbur-Landau theory, we attribute these unconventional behaviors to layered ferrimagnetism in CrBr$_3$, where coexisting ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interlayer couplings produce a history-dependent interfacial exchange field acting on NbSe$_2$. Our results reveal a distinct mechanism for nonreciprocal superconductivity and establish layered van der Waals magnetism as a versatile platform for high-efficiency, programmable, field-free superconducting diodes.
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All authors Shengbiao Sun, Lang Xiao, Chenghao Shen, Bowen Hao, Jia-Peng Peng, Ziye Zhu, Feiyue Wang, Qilin Han, Ya-Qing Bie, Shuo Wang, Tong Zhou, Dapeng Yu, Ben-Chuan Lin

Superconductivity

Ultrasonic attenuation in inhomogeneous superconductors

Aman Sardwal, Andreas Kreisel and Shantanu Mukherjee

Subgap bound states can produce pronounced features in the density of states without necessarily giving rise to a corresponding signal in ultrasonic attenuation. We show that the coherence factors act as a filter for the contribution of bound states to ultrasonic attenuation. In a phase-biased superconductor–normal–superconductor junction, the Andreev bound states produce a resonance in the attenuation when the phonon frequency matches the phase-dependent separation between the subgap levels. The situation is different at a $(110)$ grain boundary in a $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconductor. There, nonmagnetic impurity-induced bound states remain weak in the attenuation despite their large spectral weight, because the relevant coherence factors nearly cancel. When local magnetism develops near the boundary, this cancellation is removed, the bound states become spin split, and a clear attenuation peak appears, which we argue is governed by a process involving emission of phonons by pair of quasiparticles at low temperatures. We obtain these results using a real-space Bogoliubov–de Gennes formulation of ultrasonic attenuation and benchmark the method against the known low-temperature behavior of homogeneous $s$- and $d$-wave superconductors. The results show that ultrasound can distinguish bound states with similar spectral signatures but different symmetry and spin structure.
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Superconductivity

Emergent BEC mechanism in flat-band superconductors

V. Berger, I.S. Tupitsyn, B. Currie et al. (+3 more)

The formation of bound bosonic pairs of fermions, followed by their Bose-Einstein (quasi) condensation (BEC), is a foundational mechanism of superconductivity. At low filling, flat-band superconductivity is well captured by this mechanism provided the flat band is separated from the occupied lower band by an energy gap. However, particularly high $T_c$ values are anticipated when the non-interacting flat and lower bands touch—as in the prototypical attractive Lieb-lattice model studied here—invalidating the conventional picture: while interactions might protect the bound state by opening a gap, no small parameter guarantees the separation of the bound-state energy from this gap or occupied-band excitations, leaving the pair's fate uncertain. Based on a controlled-precision numerical protocol—which we demonstrate to be essential in this fundamentally non-perturbative problem—we show that the BEC mechanism, underpinned by an interaction-induced gap, is generically robust and remarkably efficient: fermions doped into the flat band form bound pairs within this gap with an anomalously light effective mass, enabling an exceptionally high $T_c$.
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All authors V. Berger, I.S. Tupitsyn, B. Currie, B.V. Svistunov, E. Kozik, N.V. Prokof'ev

Superconductivity

Synthesis and stability of high-$T_c$ LaH$_{10\pm\delta}$ films at high pressures

Sam Cross, William Thomas, Lawrence Nobbs et al. (+12 more)

High-pressure hydrides hold the record for the highest superconducting critical temperatures across all classes of superconductors. Currently lanthanum decahydride, LaH$_{10}$, exhibits the highest critical temperature among binaries, with $T_c \approx$ 250 K at pressures between 140-180 GPa. Here, we report the synthesis of LaH$_{10\pm\delta}$ films in two DACs at pressures of 168 GPa and 176 GPa via in situ laser heating of elemental lanthanum films with ammonia borane (NH$_3$BH$_3$) as the hydrogen donor. The high-symmetry fcc lanthanum sublattice (space group $Fm\bar3m$) is resolved using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, with unit cell parameters in excellent agreement with previous studies on bulk samples. We provide confirmation of high-$T_c$ superconductivity in LaH$_{10\pm\delta}$ with highest $T_c$ of 247 K at 176 GPa evidenced in electrical measurements. The characteristic suppression of superconductivity is observed in magnetic fields. Furthermore, combined diffraction and electrical measurements reveal remarkable temporal stability of both the crystal structure and the high-$T_c$ superconductivity over the full measurement period of about 300 days post laser heating. Our work establishes film precursors using physical vapour deposition (PVD) techniques as a practical route to hydride formation, opening a pathway toward the controlled synthesis of promising ternary hydrides and the integration of micro-fabricated device geometries in diamond anvil cells.
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All authors Sam Cross, William Thomas, Lawrence Nobbs, Rebecca Nicholls, Oliver Lord, Qian Zhang, Dominique Laniel, Max Gerin, Bjorn Wehinger, Mohamed Mezouar, Xiaojiao Liu, Egor Koemets, Annette Kleppe, Sven Friedemann, Jonathan Buhot

Superconductivity

Predicting critical temperature in quantum simulators for high-$T_c$ superconductivity: the matrix product state plus mean field approach

Thomas Köhler and Adrian Kantian

Quantum simulation based on ultra cold atomic lattice gases is one of the most promising platforms to investigate high-$T_c$ superconductivity beyond the limited capabilities of quantum many body numerics on classical computers. Yet, despite enormous progress since the field's inception, realizing a high-$T_c$ superconducting state still remains out of reach. The present work lays the groundwork to purpose the recently proposed, and already partly realized, mixed-dimensional (mixD) models, towards this end. These systems offer the proven capability to realize very high pairing energies while retaining appreciable mobility of pairs. We specifically investigate the potential of 2D mixD-models with anisotropic tunneling, using the matrix product state plus mean field theory (MPS+MF) for fermions, and show that these models may enter a high-$T_c$ superconducting phase. These simulations in turn are based on a comprehensive characterization of the 1D mixD-systems, which are the sub-units of which the 2D system is comprized. In this, we cover the range of currently experimentally relevant system sizes, and establish practical heuristics to determine when finite\hyp size effects preclude the use of a 1D mixD-system to build the 2D ones.
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Superconductivity

Magnetism and Electrical Conduction in Lightly-Doped Single-Layer High-$T_c$ Cuprate $\mathrm{La}_2\mathrm{CuO}_{4+\delta}$

Kota Miyakoshi, Yuya Kinugawa, Shusei Mizuta et al. (+6 more)

The temperature dependences of magnetization and electrical resistivity as well as their magnetic field dependences have been examined in lightly-doped single-layer cuprate $\mathrm{La}_2\mathrm{CuO}_{4+\delta}$ (LCO, hole-doping level $p \, (2\delta) \cong 0.03$) single crystals, in comparison with those in the extremely low doping region of $p \lesssim 0.015$ to uncover the intrinsic magnetism and electrical conduction of the $\mathrm{Cu\text{-}O}$ plane that exhibits both antiferromagnetic (AF) and superconducting (SC) orders simultaneously. In $p \cong 0.03$ SC LCO, the sub-lattice moments on $\mathrm{Cu}$ sites and their AF couplings are only $\sim 15\,\%$ smaller than those of the Mott-insulator parent material, suggesting that the localization of $\mathrm{Cu}$ $3d$ electrons remains very strong. Furthermore, we report that in the SC LCO, two-dimensional AF spin correlations develop rapidly from $T^* \cong 280\text{ K}$ towards Néel temperature $T_{\mathrm{N}} = 266\text{ K}$, where the out-of-plane resistivity starts to decrease largely. This might be responsible for the AF ordering at such a high temperature in the SC single-layer cuprate with $p \cong 0.03$.
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All authors Kota Miyakoshi, Yuya Kinugawa, Shusei Mizuta, Yoshihiko Ihara, Hiroyuki K. Yoshida, Tohru Kurosawa, Yasunori Toda, Naoki Momono, Migaku Oda

Tuesday 18 August

Superconductivity

Engineering kekule superconductivity from layer-selective interactions in rhombohedral graphene

Hung Dinh Nguyen and Yafis Barlas

At weak coupling, finite-momentum superconductivity is typically associated with broken time-reversal or inversion symmetry of the Fermi surface. Here, we show that lattice-scale pair-density-wave order in rhombohedral multilayer graphene can arise from layer/orbital-dependent pairing interactions, band chirality, and Dirac-point-centered Fermi surface topology while preserving both symmetries. Using mean-field theory and comparing finite momentum sectors $Q = \pm 2 K_{D}$ with the $ Q = 0$ superconducting state, we find that layer-dependent interactions of opposite signs ($V_{1A}=-V_{JB}=-|V|$) favor an intra-valley Kekulè state with center-of-mass momentum ($ Q=\pm 2 K_D$). In the presence of a time-reversal and inversion symmetry-preserving Kane-Mele mass ($\lambda$), this state appears only above a critical carrier density ($n^{crit}_{K}(\lambda,J)$). The two superconducting condensates exhibit opposite chirality, $J(-J)$ for $K_D(-K_D) $ valleys, thereby preserving time-reversal and inversion symmetry. We map the phase diagram and analyze the dependence of $T_c$ on the chirality index $J$ and $\lambda$. We also evaluate the superfluid stiffness in the Kekulè superconducting state, thereby determining the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition temperature. Our results show that orbital-dependent interactions in the presence of band chirality favor finite-momentum pairing in time-reversal and inversion symmetric Dirac materials.
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Superconductivity

Entropy mapping under uniaxial pressure utilizing the elastocaloric effect

Zhenhai Hu, You-Sheng Li, Aleksei V. Frolov et al. (+8 more)

Uniaxial pressure is a powerful tuning parameter for quantum materials, but conventional thermodynamic probes such as specific heat are difficult to realize in the constrained geometries of strain apparatus. We develop a quantitative analysis framework for a.c. elastocaloric effect measurements that enable the reconstruction of the absolute entropy and hence specific heat across complex phase diagrams. The absolute accuracy is achieved by combining measurements in the strong coupling regime at low frequencies with high signal-to-noise measurements in the quasi-adiabatic regime at high frequencies. Applying the approach to the correlated superconductor Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, we obtain an absolute entropy map across the phase diagram including across phase transitions deep into the superconducting state. We demonstrate that from such data one can derive the absolute specific heat which is currently not possible through other approaches. This data reinforces the finding that the quenching of entropy within the superconductor Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ is strongest at the critical strain consistent with the superconducting gap being maximized at the Van Hove singularity (VHs). Furthermore, we demonstrate that, although $\Delta c /(\gamma T) $ does increase at the VH strain, this increase is much weaker than previously inferred from more indirect caloric experiments.
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All authors Zhenhai Hu, You-Sheng Li, Aleksei V. Frolov, Fabian Jerzembeck, Manuel Brando, Naoki Kikugawa, Dmitry A. Sokolov, Hilary M. L. Noad, Andrew P. Mackenzie, Michael Nicklas, Andreas W. Rost

Superconductivity

Bridging ambient- and high-pressure superconductivity in La$_2$LnNi$_2$O$_7$ films

Motoki Osada, Chieko Terakura, Shusaku Imajo et al. (+9 more)

The discovery of high critical-temperature $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ superconductivity near 80 K in bilayer nickelates under high pressure has sparked extensive studies. While superconductivity exceeding 40 K was subsequently discovered at ambient pressure in compressively strained films, the relationship between ambient- and high-pressure regimes remains an open question. Here we present a systematic investigation of superconductivity in compressively strained La$_2$LnNi$_2$O$_7$ films (Ln = lanthanides) at ambient and high pressures. The normal-state resistivity at ambient pressure, revealed by suppressing superconductivity with magnetic fields of 59 T, tends toward $T^2$ behaviour. Under high pressure in a cubic-anvil cell, $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ was enhanced from 41-42 K at ambient pressure to 67-73 K at 16 GPa. On the other hand, lattice compression induced by Ln substitution, which may mimic effects of pressure, lowers $T_{\mathrm{c}}$. In both cases, $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ correlates with the evolution of normal-state transport between $T^2$ and $T$-linear behaviour, offering insight into the interplay between lattice structure and superconductivity in bilayer nickelates.
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All authors Motoki Osada, Chieko Terakura, Shusaku Imajo, Jean-Baptiste Morée, Akiko Kikkawa, Masamichi Nakajima, Hsiao-Yi Chen, Yusuke Nomura, Koichi Kindo, Ryotaro Arita, Yoshinori Tokura, Atsushi Tsukazaki